CINCINNATI -- Police said a man is in critical condition after being struck by a driver was hit while he was working on a car in the parking lot of an auto store West Price Hill, and the driver has been charged.
Michael Felchner, 36, was driving north on Glenway Avenue when he went off the right side of the road, entered a parking lot at Advance Auto Parts and struck a car being worked on by 24-year-old Wember Grande, an employee at the business, police said.
Grande suffered life-threatening injuries in the crash including multiple broken bones and a severe eye injury. He was driven to University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition.
Melinda Sievers heard the crash from across the street.
"I just heard this most terrific boom," she said.
Sievers went outside to see what happened, then called 911.
"You could see this car just really town up, and the other car up on the sidewalk over there, like almost up into that building," she said. "It was really, really scary."
Investigators said Felchner "appeared intoxicated" at the scene of the crash. He was taken to Cincinnati police District 3 for questioning and was later charged with aggravated vehicular assault and vehicular assault.
Impairment and excessive speed were factors in the crash, police said.
Felchner made his first court appearance Wednesday. Authorities said he initially had no recollection of the crash, and eventually admitted that he had a heroin problem and had relapsed.
Felchner was wearing his seatbelt and was not injured in the crash, police said.
The Traffic Unit is still investigating the crash. Police asked any witnesses to call them at 513-352-2514.
